I opened my mouth, but no words came out.
What could I do? If I yelled, it might attack me, and if Magnavex realized I wasn’t their actual Demonlord…
I suppressed a shudder.
The demons were grotesquely elegant. Thin to the point of translucence, with limbs too long for comfort and skin like stretched gray parchment. Their heads were smooth and hairless, ears curved like crescent blades, and their wide, glowing violet eyes never blinked.
Magnavex didn’t seem to notice my tension. She turned to the demons. “Get our Lord something worthy of his time.”
Without a sound, they turned and glided down a nearby row of shelves, soundless as ghosts.
I lowered myself into the chair. Slowly. Cautiously.
It was surprisingly comfortable, too comfortable, considering it was carved from solid stone. The seat seemed to mold itself to my shape just enough to feel welcoming, not suffocating.
Still, the comfort didn’t help. My nerves were far too jumpy for that. Where were all the demons?
I stared around the library, watching for any hint of movement.
Then, without a sound, the summoned demon reappeared, rolling a cart stacked with books.
I flinched.
My entire body went stiff. I shifted in my seat, inching just a little further away from it.
Please don’t eat me. Please don’t eat me. Please don’t eat me.
It ignored my terror entirely.
Its long, bony fingers reached delicately toward the stack, lifting the top book with an almost reverent touch.
With a movement so slight I almost missed it, it bowed. Then, without a word, it set the book in front of me.
The leather cover was deep crimson, nearly black in the shadows, and embossed with curling gold script I couldn’t read.
I looked up, and it was gone.
I blinked.
One moment it was there, the next… gone, slipped back into the labyrinth of shelves and shadows like it had never existed.
I stared at the book.
I didn’t touch it.
What if it was cursed? Or poisoned? Or enchanted to eat my brain?
I glanced up again, scanning for the demon, but saw nothing. No sign. No sound. Just the endless shelfs of the library.
Then I looked down.
Magnavex had taken a seat across from me, folding herself gracefully into the chair as if it were part of a throne room, not a reading desk. She folded her hands atop the table and waited, with an almost imperceptible smile on her face.
As if this was all perfectly normal.
Still unsure, I hesitated before lifting the book’s cover. Inside, the pages were filled with fine, swirling script that seemed to move subtly on their own, as if the words were trying to come to life. my fingers brushed against the text.
The more I stared at it the more it started to make sense, as if the words were allowing me to read them.
I started trying to read the story, but it was very complicated, it had to do with the political structure of the Eclipserans but it had so many names of families or job titles I couldn’t really get it. And with the demons in the library and Magnavex just watching me, I couldn’t focus.
What I really wanted to learn was why these new demons weren't ripping us apart right now.
“Magnavex? Is there a book more umm immersive, like about…” I tried to sound as casual as I could as my gaze looked over the demons.
“Of course, my lord” she said with certainty in her voice. she clapped her hands, and the pale demon returned. Find my lord something he can immersive himself in.”
Eventually I found myself reading a book on the Demonlord and what authority I supposedly had, but it also was incredibly complicated and frustrating to read.
I ended up asking for something simpler, I wanted to search for the books myself, but with the demons lurking about I rather stay put, though I did realize a mistake with my seating, while yes nothing could sneak up on me from behind. The shelfs made it so they could pop out from incredibly close, not only that I only had two escape routes straight ahead or into the labyrinth of books.
After a moment the demon came back and slowly placed a book on the table as if noticing my unease, it placed it as far from me as it could while still being within arm’s reach for me.
I picked it up; this looked more like a children’s book its title was Hexly the Helpful Hellspawn: The Demon Who Fixed My Bike.
Before I could fully delve into it, more of the pale demons returned, this time carrying multiple additional books one in its hands, the other balanced carefully atop its head. It placed them in front of me with the same delicate precision, as if it were handling something infinitely precious. Without a word, it stepped back again, retreating to its duties in the distance.
Magnavex watched this with a knowing smile, her arms folded in a gesture of quiet satisfaction. “They are like this,” she said. “My demons of the library aren’t just ordered to care for these tomes but to protect them, our previous Demon Lord Colbran loved the library, which is why he put me in charge of it”
I flipped the book open, running a finger lightly down the center binding. “I thought you were my advisor?” I asked, not looking up.
“I wear many hats, my Lord.” She smiled again, this time with a touch of amusement, as if I’d said something endearing without realizing it.
I leaned back slightly, eyeing the empty room. The quiet felt too curated. “If you’re in charge… why is nobody else here? Do they not like books?”
She turned slightly, inspecting a nearby shelf like she was checking for dust. “I requested privacy before we arrived,” she said. “To ensure you could enjoy your time uninterrupted.”
“Oh.” I blinked. “Thanks.”
***
Before I knew it, I had a pile of books spread open in front of me. I was able to read a lot of them since they were short and the distraction was something I needed but something was bothering me, these books. My Demon Friend and Me, Cooking with Kazrik: A Demon Chef Adventure, Morty the Demon and the Midnight Laundry, Cleaning Day with Asmodean, The Littlest Demon Babysitter, Summoning Soup: A Tale of Hungry Kids and a Cooking Demon.
All these stories revolved around a little kid, or maybe the parents of the kid needing to accomplish something and summoning a demon to do it.
“Umm… what? Why do they summon other demons? Can’t they just do it themselves?”
I leaned back a little in my seat.
Magnavex didn’t even flinch. “Why would they, when they can summon demons to do it for them?”
Her tone was calm. Unbothered. Like this was the most obvious thing in the world.
She answered my question with a question. I tensed, shoulders twitching. Jocelyn used to do that. All the time. It made me want to tear my notes in half.
“But… aren’t they demons?” I asked, frowning. I motioned vaguely toward the books “aren’t we?” I added.
She looked at me like I was crazy, which would explain a lot actually.
“They—we are eclipserans my lord, we are not meant for menial labor” She brushed some imaginary dust off my sleeve, her fingers careful and slow.
I froze and got goosebumps all over.
She continued "Because that is the role of demons, their purpose is to serve us so that we may focus on higher pursuits."
“So, these kids—We aren't demons? We are something else?”
She laughed “of course my lord”
So, these stories were all about Eclipserans summoning demons to help with their mundane problems, not only is it crazy to have demons involved with kids. I also had another problem.
Beside the fact that these books were incredibly repetitive, hell there were two cooking ones.
The bigger issue is that Lumisiel had never mentioned the Eclipserans. Not once.
All the prayers, all the sermons, all the stories I’d never heard a single word about them. Not even in the old scriptures they made us copy. Just “demons.” Just darkness.
So, clearly… they weren’t the problem.
It was just a mistake. A big, horrible, fixable mistake.
And if I could just get rid of the demons, the scary ones, the violent ones, the ones who burned and clawed and twisted everything, then the rest of us could live in peace.
even the Eclipserans, too.
We could accept them, and everything could go back to normal.
I just need them to get rid of their demons.
I faced Magnavex who somehow looked prettier than before. Still unsure how to broach the topic. I glance at the books I had just been reading.
“Are there any stories of kids needing to solve their own problems?”
She had a confused look on her face, “but they are solving their own problems”
I turn my head while looking at her “they don’t, they just summon demons to do all their work for them.”
She looked as though she understood what the problem was, but what she said next left me more confused “Exactly as you say they are the ones that summon their own demons instead of relying on their parents, to summon them.”
“So, there aren’t any stories where kids are taught to do anything for themselves, shouldn’t some stories prepare them for when they are grown?”
This time Magnavex looked confused “but it is preparing them for when they are adults, they are learning how to problem solve.”
"Wait... hold on a second." I hopped out of my chair, started to pace away from her but quickly turned back to stay near the table "You're saying... you summon demons for everything?”
"That is correct, my Lord," she said gesturing to the grey demons. "Demons have always been the foundation of our civilization. Their strength, skills, and magic are unmatched, which is why we summon them for every need."
“Every need? you don’t just use them for war?” I looked at a grey demon as it placed another book on the table.
“of course, not my lord, their original intention wasn't even for war, just to make our lives easier.”
Everywhere? I can’t live like this with demons everywhere at all times. Beside if they use demons for everything, I can’t just expect them to get rid of the demons without being able to do anything, so I need to convince them to gain independence somehow.
I start my next sentence slowly "So, what happens if they just... stop showing up?” Magnavex continued staring at me. “What if one day you—we can’t summon them anymore? I gestured to the cooking books. "Then what do you—we do? Just sit around and starve?”
“My Lord,” she said gently, “the demons have served us faithfully for generations. Tenebros’s law binds them, we have been summoning demons for eons. You don’t need to be afraid of something that hasn’t happened, okay?”
"But what if they do?" I couldn’t really think of another argument apart from the fact that their evil. But I need to convince them somehow
"What if something happens and you can’t summon them, or worst they stop listening? You’re saying you’d just... fall apart? That’s not okay, Magnavex! That’s really, really bad" I finished quite lamely.
She tilted her head slightly, like she was trying to figure out if I was serious. "My Lord, I assure you, such a scenario is not possible. The bonds we share with demons are unbreakable rooted in divine law."
Divine law, how could it be divine law? Lumisiel didn’t make it! feeling the frustration bubble up in my chest.
I felt Olive stirring, waking from her sleep. With this whole thing happening, I’d almost forgotten about myself!
“I, I need somewhere to rest,” I said. “I… it has been a long day.”
Magnavex’s eyes lit up, just slightly. “Then allow me to escort you to the quarters of the previous Demonlord,” she said, her voice warm with something close to pride. “They were personally tailored for—”
“Actually…” I hesitated, glancing back at the shelves. “Could I stay somewhere nearby?”
I didn’t want to leave the library and risk running into more demons. And with Olive likely to wake up any moment, I wasn’t in the mood for that headache either.
Her expression faltered, just for a second. Then she nodded, gracious as ever. “Of course, my Lord. I shall prepare one of the study rooms for your rest.”
“Thank you.”
When she left, I stayed seated at the table, letting my gaze drift across the towering shelves and the pale, silent figures gliding through the aisles.
Lumisiel’s stories never spoke of Eclipserans, only demons. The mistake was obvious now. The war wasn’t against them. It was against the creatures they summoned.
If I could convince them to live without demons, to stand on their own, there wouldn’t have to be another war.
Just peace.